Frosty Love
by Rukichigo93
Summary: He lost someone, so did she. They met by accident, both with a broken heart. But time passes, they grew closer, healing each other's wounds. Hitsugaya was happy, that is, until she was taken away from him in the end. Forever.
1. Under the Pouring Rain

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Disclaimer: I dont own bleach. If I did, Ichigo would marry Rukia already, or Hitsugaya Rukia, or Byakuruki, or Ashido Ruki or KaienRuki... I dont really care which guy ends up with Rukia, but I'm really a crazyfan of Hitsuruki... Lolz... They're so sweet. Anyway this is a new fic bout em.

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****Meeting under the Rain**

"Hinamori?" he blinked in surprise, seeing the dark haired figure in front of him. "Hinamori, is that really you?"

"Er… no, Hitsugaya-taicho, sir," came the quiet, almost inaudible reply. For a moment, the silver haired boy was confused, until he realized that the girl's eyes were a deep dark blue, her slim form smaller.

"Kuchiki?" he asked, recognizing Byakuya's little sister. He wasn't really sure because he couldn't see her clearly in the dark surrounding, "What are you doing here?" He didn't really know the girl well, talked to her only once, even.

The girl looked awkward, "Well, I was walking by, and you were soaking wet, sir,"

Hitsugaya frowned. Soaking wet? Confused, he looked around him. He was sitting on the ground on Soul Society's hill, his head leaned against a brick wall. In the middle of the night.

The day's events came rushing back to him.

_Hinamori…_

"Taicho?" Rukia's voice jerked him back to the present. The ray of moon shone dimly across the grassy plain, illuminating the girl in front of him. Rukia had a cape draped over her small frame, a gray umbrella in her hands.

"Yes, yes, I'm allright, Kuchiki," he said, standing up and immediately a pain flared up his head. Groaning slightly he leaned his body against the wall, touching cold fingers to his burning temple.

"It's just a headache," he assured her when she asked what the problem was.

The rain was still showering the earth and Rukia brought up her umbrella on top of them. The wind blew softly, making both of them shiver by its cold touch.

"Let's go back before you got really sick, taicho," the dark haired girl said reasonably.

For a moment Hitsugaya did not answer. He gazed up, at the dark horizon and twinkling stars, at the pouring rain and bright white moon, thinking of his dead childhood friend.

Tears formed in the corner of his turquoise eyes, but Hitsugaya was not the type of boy who shows emotions. Pushing the thoughts away from his head he gave a small smile at the Kuchiki girl next to him, "Yes, let's go back,"

The two figures walked slowly down the wet hill, every steps they took full of sorrow and guilt.

They didn't know each other, but they had something in common.

Loss.

A terrible one at that.


	2. Roof of the World

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**The Roof of the World**

Hitsugaya accepted the cup, smiling slightly, "Thanks,"

Right now he was sitting in the Kuchiki's mansion main room, in front of the warm fireplace, its bright colors and heat giving little warmth to his heart.

"When will Byakuya get back?" the boy asked, sipping the hot tea carefully.

"He won't," the girl replied, drying her hair with a yellow towel, "Nii-sama said he must spend the night in the squad's barracks because he had jobs to attend to,"

Hitsugaya looked surprised, "So you're alone here? Did this happen often?"

"No. I mean, there're still the maids to accompany me," she laughs lightly at his concern, though the laughter didn't reach her eyes. After a moment her laughter fade out, and she asked, "If you don't mind me, asking, what were you doing, taicho?"

Seeing the boy's expression went rigid, she quickly added hastily, "You don't need to answer if you think it was inappropriate,"

There was a tense pause before Hitsugaya finally sighed.

"It's the place where Hinamori and I used to hang out after I became captain," he said in quiet voice, "You know, after her death I just wanted to… go there. Remember her a little bit," his voice broke at the last sentence.

Rukia remembered the fifth-squad ex-lieutenant. She didn't really know her, but they had talked during their time in the Shinigami institute, and Hinamori was one of Renji's best friend. And Hitsugaya-taicho's childhood friend. A nice and cute girl at that.

"It has been three months, Kuchiki," he said without looking at her, "I can't forget her."

"Taicho…"

"She died because I wasn't there to protect her," he said finally, closing his blue-green eyes, letting remorse once more flooding through his body.

He and Hinamori had fought, and when they went against Aizen, he suddenly heard her scream, finding her dead in the hands of the green-eyed Espada, Ulquiorra Schiffer.

"I even hadn't got the chance to tell her I'm sorry," he added quietly, more to himself.

The fire danced in front of them, with its bright blend of yellow, red and orange. Like the sunset.

Orange…

_Ichigo._

Once more, his name crossed her mind, sending a jolt of pain to her heart, instantly making her insides cold.

"I cannot forget him too," Rukia said, her voice almost unheard. Numbly, she stared at the fire, which seems to have Ichigo's face on it, grinning broadly.

_"Rukia, you midget,"_

Him frowning…

_"Rukia, you idiot,"_

Him smiling that smile she loved… no, _loves, _so much…

_"Hey, Rukia,"_

And that last words he said, when he died protecting her, with her screaming her life out next to him, feeling his body getting colder every seconds…

Those words he said as he lay dying.

"_Rukia. Thank you for everything,"_

And that last message...

_"Don't forget me,"_

Rukia bit her lip. Bakamono, Ichigo. As if she ever could.

Next to her, Hitsugaya noticed her suddenly tense form, realizing that she, too, has lost someone she hold dear.

That ryoka boy, Kurosaki Ichigo.

"I'm sorry," the white-haired boy said absent-mindedly.

She looked surprised, a hint of a smile on her lips, "What for, taicho?"

"Ichigo being dead," he answered.

Her jaw tightened, but she kept her smile, "He shows me good things in life. I'm thankful even if he's gone,"

Hitsugaya didn't answer. He remembered Hinamori… Their times in Rukon'gai when he was small, before she was turned crazy by Aizen.

Hinamori… She resembled this Kuchiki girl in front of her somehow. The same alabaster tone, the same petite figure, the same wide eyes. Rukia was smaller, though, her eyes an ocean blue, and her smile somehow…sadder.

"What?" she asked, realizing that he was looking at her. Hitsugaya gave a slight shrug, emptying his tea.

"Er.. taicho," she said, "I'm going to change my wet robes first,"

He gave a nod and watched as the girl walked gracefully to her room. Rukia changed her robe into a violet nightgown that matched her eyes and went outside.

"The color suits you," Hitsugaya remarked when he saw her. Rukia smiled at his compliment then pulled him to his feet. The tenth squad captain looked annoyed and a little irritated.

"I'm going to show you a place," she told him, "I often go there when I felt alone or sad."

Her enthusiasm provoked him. Slowly, he followed the Kuchiki girl out of the room and along the dim-lighted corridor of the Kuchiki mansion. Servants eyed them skeptically but Rukia did not seem to care.

"Here," she said in a low voice, opening a door, revealing a stair that spiraled upstairs. The room was dark and Hitsugaya held the stair's handle tightly, not wanting to fall. He couldn't see Rukia, but he could hear her steady breath.

Suddenly they reached a dead end.

"Kuchiki?" he whispered.

"wait," came her answer and Hitsugaya heard a door being unlocked. The door swung open, revealing the vast, dark night sky with thousands of stars shimmering slightly.

The sight intoxicated him.

"Wow," he murmured as he stepped outside. They were on the roof of the highest part of the mansion.

"This is the oldest part of the house," Rukia told him, "I love sitting here, it's my secret place,"

Hitsugaya looked at her. The girl was smiling, her violet blue eyes twinkling just like the constellations, and her alabaster skin complimented the silvery glow of the stars perfectly.

She sat down and he sat beside her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked, propping her knees to her chin, "The sky… It's the same with the sky in the real world,"

Her face was unreadable, "I used to sat on the roof with Ichigo,"

"You're still sad?" he asked after a moment.

She turned to look at him. Now that they're this close, Hitsugaya couldn't help noticing how pretty she was. Not pretty _beautiful _like Matsumoto or something, but her beauty was different. It held such intensity that seems to appalled him. The way she smiles, her golden heart, her fiery but soft attitude, her shining eyes… She seemed to glow, inside and out. Just like the moon.

Bittersweet.

"Of course I'm sad," she replied quietly, closing her eyes. Her eyelashes made a beautiful contrast on her skin and he couldn't help but looking at her. After a while she opened her eyes again, "I cried my eyes out the first month after he's dead. Mourning him over and over, thinking it was my fault that he's dead…"

Suddenly she smiled, "But you know what, taicho?"

He waited, and she looked at the stars when she spoke, "I came to realize something," her voice was still quiet but no longer sad, "It was fate. Just like everything that had happened from the start. I was meant to met him, we were meant to be together, and about his death, it wasn't anyone's fault… He _chose _to defend me. He died protecting me. That's just one proof that he loves me and it was more than enough,"

"Fate, huh?" he asked, thinking that it was unfair that Fate should took Hinamori away from him.

"Yes," she assured him, "My sorrow starts to slip away one at a time. Sometimes it still pains me to think about him, but he still lives, you know."

"Live?" Hitsugaya frowned.

Rukia nodded, "In me. It was something Lieutenant Kaien taught me. Even though you're gone, your memories, your _heart _will always exist in those you love." She grinned, "As long as we remember him by, he will live inside of us. And so will Hinamori,"

Slowly, Hitsugaya begun to smile. It was true. He was just have to keep remembering her. Their childhood times, their laughter, their jokes…

And Hinamori…

Hinamori would never cease to exist.

"Thank you, Kuchiki," he said, and he meant it. She smiled back at him, and suddenly, Hitsugaya realizes that the world seems to get a little brighter somehow.

_If it was dark and it seems hopeless, just turn on the light, because even in the darkest depths, a small flame will bring warmth into anybody's heart…_

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**_THERE. I'm writing this even though tomorrow I got a math exam lol..._Y'know, my math got 52 on my first test. I got 50 at my chemical exam, 37 at sociology... gosh**

**this is the miserable life of a high school girl... lol **

**So, Reviews please for my hardwork**


	3. Real World Here we come

**Thanks you all for reviewing... lol This is chapter three. Fast right? I got nothing to do while waiting for my friends to arrive so I wrote for like three hours, adding more chapters to my fanfics lol **

**And good news- my exam season are over. Yay! (Though I got LOTS of marks under 60)**

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**A Pleasant Surprise**

"Hey," he said, grinning broadly as he came in her office.

Rukia looked surprised, but then she smiled slightly, "Morning to you, too, Hitsugaya-taicho, what are you doing here?"

He brought out a box of chocolate truffles, "Matsumoto bought this. Thought you might want some,"

"Thanks," she said and plucked one inside her mouth, "mmm, it's delicious,"

Hitsugaya put the box down and sat on the sofa, looking around him, "I see you have an office now,"

She laughed lightly. Two days ago, Rukia had been appointed as the Thirteen Squad's lieutenant.

The girl put down her paperworks and came to sit down beside him, "So…" she asked, "You're OK, right?"

Hitsugaya knew what she meant. It had been a month since their conversation at the rooftop. Slowly, with her help, the silver haired captain's broken heart had begun to heal.

"Fine," he shrugged, "She was my best friend since I was a kid, but you know, time passed and I wasn't sad anymore." He looked at her and smiled, "Thanks,"

She nodded and took another chocolate.

Hitsugaya watched her eating with a small smile before standing up, walking around her office.

"Nice taste," he remarked, pointing at the crystal vase with the sunflowers.

"It's from Renji," she told him, her mouth half-full with truffles.

He looked around her desk and saw a photograph of her, Ichigo, Ishida, Inoue and Chad.

Rukia saw what he was looking at and walked over to him, "It's taken six months ago," she said in a quiet voice.

Hitsugaya looked at her. Her eyes had a faraway look on it.

"I missed him so much," she said in her usual tone, but somehow it had a bitterness in it that he didn't fail to notice, "And the others. The real world. My schoolmates. Especially Inoue,"

Her voice broke at the last sentence. She didn't cry, but her eyes were red.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she assured him, the smile never leaving her lips, "I wasn't sad or anything…"

His turquoise gaze bored into her, "You are sad. Don't deny it. Everyone could control their feelings but there were times we couldn't."

She closed her eyes, "Maybe you're right," she admitted in a quiet voice, "But like I said, it was fate. I just wish… wish I could go back home."

"Home?" he asked, confused.

"My other home," she told him, "The real world. Where once I feel belonged,"

"You'll go back there someday," he promised her.

Rukia laughed at the certainty of his words, "Maybe,"

For a moment, both of them just stood there, until Rukia went back to her desk, picking up her pen.

"Gotta finish this report," she told him.

Hitsugaya nodded and went to the door.

"Bye," he told her before going outside.

"Yeah," Rukia smiled sweetly, "See you later,"

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Hitsugaya smiled as he ran to the Kuchiki mansion. He can't wait to tell Rukia this news. He shunpo-ed to her room, making sure to avoid Byakuya, and without bothering to knock, sprang inside.

Rukia was still sleeping, her small form nearly invisible among the tangle of the sheets.

Grinning slightly, he took a glass of cold water and poured it on her. The girl woke up with a jolt, cursing.

"What do you think you're doing??" her blue-violet eyes glared angrily at him. Hitsugaya just dodged her punch and sat next to her, "I've got great news for you."

She still scowled, half her nightgown wet with water.

"We got permission to go to the real world," Hitsugaya told her, grinning widely.

Her anger immediately fade, and her eyes widened, "Really? From who?" she could barely contain the enthusiasm in her voice.

"Genryuusai-dono," Hitsugaya answered, "Apparently he needed us to check how the remaining Ryokas are doing, you know, your friends,"

Rukia's expression didn't change, but he could see she was trying to conceal her sadness, "Well, when will we go?"

"Up to you. Right now if you're fast," the tenth captain grinned at her.  
"Just the two of us?" she asked, standing up.

"No. You, me, Renji and Hisagi fuku-taicho," Hitsugaya replied then went out from the door, "I'll wait outside. Be quick,"

Rukia nodded and watched as the captain disappeared behind the door.

**I know it's kind of short, but I hope you still like it. I'll be sure to post the next one quickly. Hitsuruki forever... **


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